‘An unmitigated joy’: why Married to the Mob is my feelgood movie
The next entry in our series of writers recommending their favourite comfort films is a tribute to Jonathan Demme’s zesty gangster comedy
There’s no more perfect song to open a movie than Rosemary Clooney’s Mambo Italiano in Jonathan Demme’s Married to the Mob. It’s a delightful nonsense song that mimics Cuban mambo music while spilling out lyrics that are about as authentically Italian as a suburban Olive Garden. It’s Demme’s way of announcing that his gangster comedy will be a zesty, multicultural puttanesca that may evoke The Godfather and other genre standards, but mostly indulges in the cartoon kitsch of Long Island goombahs. The film that follows isn’t quite a parody, a spoof or a satire. It’s merely an unmitigated joy from start to finish.
There are so many fun touches around the edges of Married to the Mob – the colorful production design, the expertly curated new wave soundtrack, the endless gallery of big and supporting players – but as Angela de Marco, a housewife fed up with her two-timing gangster husband and the hornet’s nest of gossipy mob wives, Michelle Pfeiffer holds everything together. She had shown some comedic flair in earlier films like Into the Night and The Witches of Eastwick, but as with Melanie Griffith in Demme’s previous feature, Something Wild, Pfeiffer seizes the opportunity to impose a fresh confidence and charisma in the lead role. Her Angela is determined and street smart, but also eager to break out and have a good time, which is not something a mob wife numbed by Valium is permitted to do.
Continue reading...Topics
-
A sprawling megacity of multi-level madness: why Chongqing in China is my wonder of the world
This megacity is like Hong Kong on steroids – a vertically sprawling, astonishing urban phenomenon that can only be understood in three dimensions. Google Maps can be unreliable at the best of ...The Guardian - 4h -
My one-night stands mean my partner refuses to marry me | Ask Philippa
You’re chasing something that only you can give yourself: a feeling of security and self-worth. The question I’ve been with my partner for more than 25 years and while he’s perfect in pretty ...The Guardian - 1d -
The 10 Players I Voted For on My 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot, and Why
The Athletic’s Jayson Stark explains his picks, which include three first-timers.The New York Times - 3d -
‘I’ve never been happier’: I married a wonderful lady from Ukraine. I have two successful kids. Do I put my wife on the deed to my home?
“We are now looking to downsize and move to another home and I’m wondering if we should put the new property in joint names.”MarketWatch - 4d -
‘Watched it about 12 times’: why Notting Hill is my feelgood movie
The latest in our series of writers highlighting their favourite comfort films is a reminder of why Richard Curtis’s west London-set romcom is his greatest. It makes toast look delicious. That’s ...The Guardian - Jan. 13 -
The Taliban made me marry my boss: how one word led to a forced marriage
Afghanistan’s ‘morality police’ arrested Samira at work in Kabul – and then made the 19-year-old marry her employer . It was a normal summer morning in July last year when 19-year-old Samira* made ...The Guardian - Jan. 13 -
My best friend and I married each other as kids on holiday at the beach. It would be the closest she would come to a real wedding | Caitlin Cassidy
Summer holidays are a time of memory-making. We asked Guardian writers and contributors to share some of the summer holiday photos that transport them back to a simpler time. More summer ...The Guardian - Jan. 10 -
‘I want to get my joy back’: Jimmy Butler signals he wants trade from Miami Heat
Heat star indicates he wants trade out of Miami Butler has scored nine points in consecutive games Jimmy Butler says he needs to find joy again on the basketball court. And when asked if he can ...The Guardian - Jan. 3 -
Jimmy Butler loudly signals he wants trade from Heat: 'I want to get my joy back'
Jimmy Butler isn't having fun anymore with the Heat.Yahoo Sports - Jan. 3
More from The Guardian
-
Biden issues pre-emptive pardons hours before Trump’s inauguration – live
Joe Biden pardons Dr. Anthony Fauci, Capitol riot investigators and retired Gen. Mark Milley before leaving office. Biden pardons Fauci and Milley in effort to guard against potential ‘revenge’ ...The Guardian - 19m -
Freezing rain dampens mood in Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration – photo essay
Photographer Jordan Gale documents preparations for 60th presidential inauguration, showing a US poised and polarised between hope and fear. Washington is a city on edge. Concrete barriers, ...The Guardian - 49m -
As Trump is inaugurated, activists ask: is there any point in mass protest?
Some say Trump part two needs a new strategy as ‘the novelty of mass mobilization has kind of worn off’. Prominent leftwing activists across the US say a second Trump administration demands new ...The Guardian - 4h -
‘There is no plan’: migrant groups at US-Mexico border await mass deportations
Advocates warn that Trump’s promised deportations will flood Mexico with migrants and spur organized crime . It is cold and quiet in Casa del Migrante, a shelter in Ciudad Juárez, on the US-Mexico ...The Guardian - 2h -
Gaza ceasefire latest: ‘Shocked’ Palestinians return to their homes as 90 prisoners freed by Israel
The release of Palestinian detainees came after three Israeli hostages were freed on Sunday. Full report: Palestinians celebrate as prisoners freed The Spanish government has welcomed the ...The Guardian - 6m
More in World
-
Gaza ceasefire latest: ‘Shocked’ Palestinians return to their homes as 90 prisoners freed by Israel
The release of Palestinian detainees came after three Israeli hostages were freed on Sunday. Full report: Palestinians celebrate as prisoners freed The Spanish government has welcomed the ...The Guardian - 6m -
Why is TikTok back working again in US as Trump takes office?
App has resumed operations after saying it received assurances over de facto ban, but future remains uncertain. Donald Trump inauguration – live updates TikTok is restoring its service in the ...The Guardian - 13m -
Ghana soldiers kill at least 7 people described as illegal gold miners
Ghana's military says that soldiers have killed at least seven people at a gold mineABC News - 18m -
Biden issues pre-emptive pardons hours before Trump’s inauguration – live
Joe Biden pardons Dr. Anthony Fauci, Capitol riot investigators and retired Gen. Mark Milley before leaving office. Biden pardons Fauci and Milley in effort to guard against potential ‘revenge’ ...The Guardian - 19m -
Elon Musk stands accused of pretending to be good at video games. The irony is delicious | Keza MacDonald
Musk desperately wants to appropriate gamer credibility, but he may be faking it – and doing exactly what toxic nerds have been accusing women of doing for decades. Last year on Joe Rogan’s ...The Guardian - 22m